HI everyone!! I got back Friday night from Atlanta. For those of you who don't know, I am a fashion merchandising major who is graduating in May. I was in Atlanta Thursday and Friday interviewing for an assistant buyer position with Macys!!

Everything went REALLY REALLY well!!!! The fist day was more of an introduction to the company--we got to shadow an assistant buyer for a little while, we had some guest speakers from HR. We also learned about benefits, their volunteer program, and their extensive training program (they have a COURSE CATALOG for all the classes you have to take when you start!).

The best part about Thursday was dinner--not just because we got free dinner at Maggianos (yum!!), but because also attending the dinner was the CMO (chief merchandising officer), and several senior vice presidents and general merchandising managers (head buyers who have been with the company 20+ years!) Also, some assistant and associate buyers were there. The CMO spoke and gave us advice and took questions, and the other executives were sitting at our tables so we could pick their brains, talk to them about the company, the position, and the industry in general. The exposure to these executives was priceless and a great opportunity!!!!

Friday was the interview day. I should mention that there were 37 other candidates, and they will do the same thing again in the spring, and for both sessions of interviews they only have about 35 spots, so there was a lot of pressure. We had one 30 minute interview...mine went really well! It turned into more of a conversation than anything else so I wasn't nervous at all. We also had to take a writing assessment (easy!), a retail math test (which I flew through and am positive I passed with flying colors), and a prioritization test. The prioritization was actually fun--they gave us 12 tasks that would typically be given to an assistant buyer and how long each one would take and we had to plan out our day out and explain WHY we did it in that order. After we did that we discussed it with a buyer...I'm happy to say I got every one right and the buyer told me after looking at my resume that I had "nothing to worry about".

Probably my favorite part of the assessments was the group exercise. We were broken into groups of six and given a scenerio that we were each and assistant buyer for a different department, and our divisional merch. manager just told us that there are three spots left in the after thanksgiving ad. We were each given information on the product we wanted to promote, and we 20 minutes to discuss and decide which 3 products would be the most beneficial for the company to place in the ad. We each went around the table (I volunteered to go first!) and made our case as to why our product should be in the ad, and then we discussed which ones would be best and made a decision. They were not only looking for us to make a good case for our product, but read between the lines (for example, my product was a holiday bear, which we had 30,000 units and only November and December to sell them all, so I said that if we didn't we would have a huge markdown on our hands. That wasn't on my fact sheet but the buyers looked impressed when I said that :) ) They were also looking for us to realize which were the best, even if that wasn't our product, and to work together to come to that decision. I'm happy to say that our group got all three that were the best ones. :)

So, all in all, I think it went really really well. The thing that suprised me the most was that out of the other candidates, there were only TWO other fashion majors! Lots of marketing and business majors, but also economic, political science, and sociology majors as well, which really baffled me. But it gave me an advantage because I had such a great understanding of the job and how the retail industry works as a whole, where these other candidates didn't.

They told us that they would let us know, one way or the other, within two weeks, hopefully sometime next week. Also, they told us that while they have a number in mind as to how many they will hire, they NVER turn away talent.

I am so excited after visiting the office. Macy's is the kind of company I can see myself having a career with. In fact, all of the executives I spoke with told me that they started as an assistant buyer for Macy's!!!

So, keep your fingers crossed and I will let you all know the second I hear something!!!!

On Crochetville I have joined a crochet-along to help me finish some projects. The deadline is by the new year, January 1, 2008. I have a lot going on with school and then moving, but I'm hoping that having some time off for the holidays will help. Here is what is on my list:

1. Comfortghan for Lindsay (Joining the squares--deadline is Thanksgiving!)
2. Ripple blanket for roomie's bday/housewarming/xmas gift (30% done)
3. 5 Scarves for Christmas Gifts (0 done...eek!)
4. 8-pocket tote bag (35% done)
5. Sweater for Violet (looking for the perfect pattern! 0% done)
6. Baby blanket for co-worker (0% done)

I think this is a pretty ambitiouis list, but hopefully I can do it!! Who is going to be my cheerleaders???

So I picked up my knitting needles again!! I'm attempting my first baby sweater, a hoodie for my niece! I'm trying to get it done before she grows out of it hahaha!

I'm also still working on the 8 pocket tote for my roomie for christmas. I am fixin to start on some scarves/hats/mitten sets for people as well, including my niece!! I found a pattern for bitty crocheted mittens :) I love making baby stuff because it hardly takes any time at all!!

life's been pretty crazy recently and i haven't thought to update this thing, but with some encouraging (thanks ladies!) i am finally getting around to it.

my current wip:

tote bag for my roommate. i'm doing the 8 pocket tote from the lionbrand site, when it is finished it will look like this:
Except I am doing the body in a camel color and the handles in a teal blue.....very nice!! i am almost done with one side panel, i'm hoping to finish all the pieces by the end of this weekend, then all i will have to do is finish it and i can give it to her. yay!

another wip i have is a comfortghan for my friend lindsay. she has been in the hospital for quite some time, she had severe complications from a surgery and had to have all 4 of her limbs amputated. it's really awful, but thanks to all the wonderful ladies at the ville i am able to put together a little something for her. members have been donating squares, and jessica has volunteered to collect and edge them. once i get them from her i will be putting them together and then doing some sort of nice border around it. i havent been able to see her yet (no one has really), but i know i'll be able to get it to her one way or another.

some finished objects:


I made this baby blanket for a coworker, she is having a little boy any day now!! it's a giant granny ghan, first time i've ever done one, and i have to say that i liked it at first but then i got quite bored with it as the rows got longer and longer.....i like the way it turned out in the end , though.

a scarf i did. we are making some to sell to help raise money for lindsay.


I've been so busy with school and work that i'm sad to report that's basically all that's been on my hook since my last update!! with the holidays coming up though i better get to hookin!!

I made this blankie for my new niece, Violet. I actually started it back in February!!!!! I finally got to working on it and finished it. I'm in love with it, can't wait to see it wrapped around Violet!

I used Red Heart baby econo yarn in "Candy Print" and a size H hook. The blanket isn't really that big, about 29" x 24", I wanted more of a blankie than an afghan. The pattern is just a simple shell stitch that I found on about.com, then I did the border with 2 rows of DC and one row of SC.

I'm working on some scrapbooking pages and I wanted to add some crocheted flowers as embellishments. I was searching on the internet for a flower pattern for a violet and I couldn't find one that I liked! So I whipped this one up. If you find any errors please let me know! Sorry for the bad quality of the pic, I couldn't find my cord to my camera so I used my cell phone!

I used the following materials, but, you can sub out any that you like.

*****PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY FOR PERSONAL USE. I DO NOT MIND YOU SELLING PRODUCTS USING THIS PATTERN, BUT DO NOT CALL IT YOUR OWN! THANKS!! ******

Little Violet



Hook: Aluminum size G
Yarn: Simply soft Brites! in yellow and purple

Finished size is about 2 inches across

Pattern:

CENTER:
- With yellow, Ch 4. Join with sl st to first ch to form loop.
- 7 SC into loop, join with sl st to first SC. Fasten off.

Petals:
-Join purple yarn to any st. * (Ch 4, 3 DC, HDC, SC) in next st. Skip next st, slip stitch into next st * 4 times.
-Join with sl st to first ch and fasten off.

First, the summer scarf I made out of Sugar and Cream yarn. I used the One Skein Scarf pattern again. Love that pattern!!



Next is my WIP, the afghan for my mom:



And here are some washcloths I made for my neice....I used up some of my cotton yarn stash!!